GOTHAM'S WITCH
by cwluvr
Summary: When Bruce returns to Gotham City as Batman he encounters someone who was keeping Gotham safe from the things that go bump in the night. Set in Batman Begins.
1. Chapter 1

She told people she got beat up from playing with Alaric, who was a big dog and a menace to anyone Salem herself didn't trust with him being half German Shepherd and half wolf and all. But that was his job to aid and guard the little blind girl who lived in apartment 4C. At least that's what she told people anyway. She never told people she had trouble sleeping because she was often times up half the night with a new ghost or the occasional exorcism or whatever nasty little business slithered itself into Gotham city. So as usual she braced herself for the day and climbed out of bed, ignoring the red and raw and newly bruised elbow while she pulled on a plain white button down and rolled the sleeves up to her elbows. It was simple, she never really liked attracting attention to herself. Her designer glasses were her only material indulgence.

But that was more for people than for her. If people didn't get freaked out by her eyes. Not that she could blame them. She knew what they looked like. The left one completely white and constantly rolling. And the right one, the iris a luminescent green that was almost like getting hit with spotlights with a pin prick of a pupil. She knew people stared at her when her eyes were opened. She imagined that maybe she would have had pretty eyes had she not been born what she was. The Sight. A gift to someone like her but a curse for anyone who dwelt within a buzzing metropolis like Gotham City. Especially now, now that Bruce Wayne had returned from whatever hell hole he had been in. The millionaire social prince had been declared dead. But apparently that had been a big misunderstanding. And since his return he had been making rounds around town. And today his next step was the blind school. His family's name had been on the board for years. And she supposed he felt he had to make some kind of appearance.

She slipped into a pair of jeans her legs still a bit damp from the steaming hot shower she had just taken. She heard Alaric shuffling through her tiny one-bedroom apartment and sighed. It was going to be the beginning of a long day.

Bruce Wayne sat in the administrative office of Gotham School for the Blind in a perfectly tailored Armani suit looking cool, calm, collected, and all in out gorgeous thought Rebecca Quinn who had specifically came in today with her best body hugging pencil skirt on. Her best friend Salem, who was walking in right now, would call it shameless.

"Morning Rebecca. How was the weekend?"

"Would've been better if you hadn't bailed on me," she told one of her best teachers without looking up. Salem handled the hard cases-the ones who hadn't been born blind and were having a hard time adjusting. She had never been so sure why small, petite, and normally quiet Salem got her moxie from but there was thing that was sure, once she got through to those kids they absolutely adored her-parents too, "Honestly Salem, where do you go?"

Alaric left her side and went right in front of her and she obviously noticed the change in the room because she frowned and tilted her head towards Rebecca, "Becks?"

"Oh yeah…Mr. Wayne this is Salem McKinney, my best friend and one of my best teachers."

"It's nice to meet you Ms. McKinney," he told her not sure if he should extend his hand or not.

"Let me guess, you're wondering if you stick your hand out," she asked with a smile before offering her own hand. He would have laughed, if he had thought it appropriate. She was almost half his size, okay that was an understatement. She reached to his chest almost, sleeves rolled up to reveal a tattoo on the inside of her forearm. It was in Latin, he wasn't too familiar with it. Her shirt was tucked into a pair of sung dark jeans. The fabric clung to her outlining the small yet present curves she so clearly had. And her dark hair was cut short at the nape, choppy bangs falling into her glasses covered eyes. Her skin was darker, highlighting the fact that she had to be mixed with something. Her long straight nose and defined cheekbones might account for it. And besides her ears, her nose was pierced. Interesting enough look for a teacher.

"No worries Mr. Wayne, it happens all the time. Anyway Becks, I just came to pick up the file for the new student. You said someone just enrolled over the weekend. I got the message this morning."

"Uh yeah," she said sifting through other manila folders before finding the one she was looking for, "Adam Wilcox. 14. Head injury. Botched surgery. Doctor says blindness is permanent. And hey Salem, I was wondering if you could take Mr. Wayne around. He wants to get a feel for the school."

"A feel for the school," Salem drawled at her boss. She hadn't been expecting that. She was thinking a tour, an hour long chat with Rebecca that involved flirting and a new lay for her best friend, a check so his name could end up on some new building and that was it. There was a reason she dealt with the hard cases, she could be prickly herself. She was not the type to deal with someone like Bruce Wayne.

"If it's any trouble-."

"Oh no Mr. Wayne, it's no trouble at all. I'm sure Ms. McKinney would be glad to show you around and introduce do you to our students," the principal said sharply with a plastered smile.

Feeling defeated Salem sighed and shrugged, "Fine with me." she turned to open the door, only to have it opened for her. She heard a sound from her dog that would've been a chuckle had it been a person.

"Look Mr. Wayne I don't know what Ms. Quinn told you but these kids are new to blindness. They tend to be a bit harsh, cynical, and occasionally they throw tantrums-as if being a teenager wasn't hard enough," she snorted, "so don't look at them like you pity them. We may not be able to see it but we can sense it from miles away. They're already paranoid. Once I speak the name Bruce Wayne, some of them are already going to be hostile."

"I understand Ms. McKinney."

"I hope you do," she sneered in a tone of voice full of disbelief.

Bruce watched with a quiet sensitivity as the woman, who couldn't have been more than 24, led him through a series of vast open hallways that looked dated and into a classroom full of light and about twelve students. All teenagers and all looking as if they could care less to be here. Alaric dashed across the room to a lanky boy in the far left corner's back seat.

"Alaric! Back up from our new student boy," she coaxed the massive size dog, "You must be Adam Wilcox. My new student. I'm Mrs. McKinney."

He didn't speak.

"Alexis, make your way four footsteps to your left. Adam's going to need a partner for today. You're coming along in your braille just great. He's going to need your help."

The young girl stood up with her backpack and slid her desk exactly four footsteps to her left and took a seat.

"How did you-."

"All the desk are spaced four footsteps apart. Now class, Principal Quinn apparently has a special surprise for you today. If you hadn't heard, not that I would understand how you couldn't have, Bruce Wayne made a recent return back to Gotham City. And if you didn't know well his family was-well I guess is-on our board. He decided to make a stop by. Class I'd like to introduce you to Bruce Wayne," she said taking a seat.

"It's nice to meet all of you," he said cheerfully.

Salem smirked and pulled her glasses off her face and with a tug on her bottom lip reined in the gasp that almost fell from her lips. Because standing around Bruce Wayne, swirling about him was a cloud of mists full of a shit load of ghosts and only two looked non threatening. But what interested her the most was the own dark aura that was coming from Mr. Millionaire himself. Bruce Wayne had a dark side. And suddenly the witch whose eyes bore into the shadow world was more than intrigued.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hey everybody I am so sorry I haven't updated in months. Back in March I was involved in a really serious car accident. Three friends and I were on a road trip and were hit by a diesel truck. We lost control of the car and ran off the interstate and then flipped several times. My friend and I were thrown from the backseat onto the interstate. And our two other friends sustained serious head trauma. We're just now getting back to full capacity. But now that I'm back, I will be updating soon and frequently. The show must go on!**


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